Tunnel and method of building and submerging



July 28, -1925. 1,547,432

J. c. MEEM TUNNEL AND METHOD 0F BUILDING AND SUBMERGING Filed Aug. 21, 1924 2 SheetsShaet l A IEE-E u t loR July 28, 1925.

J. C. MEEM TUNNEL AN METHOD OF BUILDING AND SUBMERGING Filed'Aug. 21, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 TOR @ RNEYS nanna Arsr FFEQE.

JAMES C. IEEW'I, DF BROOKLYN, NEW YQLRK, ASSGNOB F ONE-HALF TO FREDERECK L. GRANEO'RD, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

TUNNEL AND METHOD OF EUILDLNG SUBIVJERGNQ Application led August 21, 1924.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES C. MEEM, a citizen of the United States, residing at lrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in rlunnels and Methods of Building and Submerging, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved method and structure of subaqueous tunnels. Heretofore it has been customary in making sul'iaqueous tunnels to build the tunnel in sections above water and subsequently to sink the sections and join them under water. rlhis is laborious, costly and uncertain. rlhe submerging of the tunnel sections which is usually accomplished by admitting water to the interior of the sections has been accomplished with danger and disastrous results due in part to the fact that when water is introduced into the section it tends to disturb the equilibrium causing water to flow suddenly to one end of the section and the section to sink end down. Attempts have been made to control the sinking by floats, pontoons, tackle, staging, etc. but such control is cumbersome, expensive and generally unsatisfactory.

'By the use of my invention I avoid the necessity of joining tunnel sections under water by building the entire tunnel above water and subsequently sinking the same as ay unit. This l accomplish without danger of sudden tilting or turning of the tunnel about its axis or of subjecting it to injurious strains and l am also able to sink the tunnel without the aid of outside apparatus such as the floats. etc. above mentioned. For this purpose l have provided a novel and improved method and .means for controlling the sinking of the tunnel. In the case of short tunnels the entire tunnel may be submerged gradually and uniformly over its entire length. ln the case of very long tunnels l preferably construct the tunnel so that it has some flexibility and gradually sink the tunnel progressively along its length.

Those features of my invention which provide for anaccurato control of the sinking operation may also be employed where it is desired to sink a tunnel section and move the same into aline engagement with a previously laid section.

Numerous objects and advantages of my Serial No. 733,261.

invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein ledig. l is a side elevation of a portion of. the tunnel resting in its final position on the bed of the waterway and shows the upwardly extending buoyant shafts secured to the tunnel at intervals along its length.

Tig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the tunnel taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, p

Fig. Ll is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a section of the tunnel shell and the floating cradle upon which the shell is built. .l

Fig. (i is a longitudinal approximately central section of a partly completed portion of a tunnel showing a modified construction.

rlhe tunnel structure and the method of building the same may vary considerably. ln the form shown the tunnel comprises an outer metal shell lined inside with concrete and reinforced by a central, and two side longitudinal girders of sucient strength and rigidity to carry the weight of the tunnel safely over the length of 100 to 300 feet or more but subject to some flexibility (without impairment of strength) in lengths of 1000 to 5000ffeet or more.

In building the tunnel there is first provided a cradle l0 having an upper supporting surface conforming to the contour of the bottoni of the tunnel and of substantially the length of the entire tunnel. lThe cradle l0 may be a `rough structure of timber or concrete or both. @n this cradle there is constructedv the outside metal shell 1l of the tunnel which is formed of tubularA sections joined end to lend, there beingprovided at intervals along the top ofthe shell openings 12. Then the shell 11 is built it is bulkheaded to prevent admission of water to the interior and the cradle l0 is scuttled or wrecked leaving the shell l1 floating at the surface. This operation is preferably conducted in some quietwater adjacent the site. lVith the shell l1 floating the interior structure of the. tunnel is then completech access for this purposebeing gained through the openings 12 The shell is lined with concrete as shown at 15 and the tunnel is reinforced by a central longitudinal girder 16 and two side longitudinal girders 17.

Bullrheads 18 are provided adjacent to and on opposite sides of each opening- 12 and joining the two bulkheads adjacent to each opening` is formed a central partition 19 which divides the space between the two bnlkheads into two chambers 20. The partition 19 may, if desired, be made of concrete and formed as a continuation of the concrete liningv 15. Suitable hatchway or manhole covers are provided for the openings 12 and these covers are provided with depending ribs 21 which extend across the openings 12 and engage the upper edges of the partitions 19 at the openings so as to effectively seal from one another the chainbers 2O at opposite sides of the partitions.

There is then erected around each of the openings 12 a `buoyant shaft 22 which is of sufiicient length to extend above the surface of the water when the tunnel has been sunk to its final position. These shafts are secured to the tunnel by a bolt and flange connection which forms a water tight joint and the shafts are guyed to the tunnel by cables 2li provided with adjusting` turn buckles llhile of considerable volume the shafts are of very light construction and depend for their stability a id strength on light in` ternal bracing 2fl and the `guys 211.

Valves 27 are provided in each of the chambers 20 and these valves are operated from the top of the shaft 22 by handles 23 which are connected to the valves by rods 28 which extend through the tunnel casing;- and through the shaft 22. Valves 27 are designed to permit water to enter the chainbers 2O from outside the tunnel through pipes 30. 'lhe chambers 2O connnunicate with the interior of the shaft 22 through pipes n1 located at opposite sides of the partition 19 and rib 21 and extending through the manhole cover 35. Flow through the pipes 31 is controlled by means of a valve 3G located in the shaft 22 and operated from the top of the shaft by means of a rod El? and handle 3S.

`While l have described the building of the interior structure of the tunnel and the attachment of the shafts 22 as being performed after the cradle 10 has been reV- moved it will be understood that these operations may be conducted while the tunnel is still on the cradle and the cradle may be wrecked or scuttled at any time after the tunnel has become self-supporting,

Then the tunnel structure above described has been completed and the bed of the waterway suitably prepared for the reception of the tunnel by dredging to the proper depth and grade and the laying if required of the sills 39, the tunnel is floated to a position over its final bed and the valves 2.7 and 36 Menzies are opened. rEhe chambers 20 are first flooded by water entering through the pipes 30 and subsequently water enters the shafts from the chambers 2O through the pipes 51. As a result the tunnel sinks easily and evenly to its bed. As the tunnel sinlis more of the buoyant shafts 22 become submerged and this acts as a check to the sinking` re quiring an additional. quantity of water in the shaft to continue the. sinking. The valves permit a perfect control of the flow of water as desired into either or both of the chambers 20 and shaft 22 at the various chambers and shafts along` the length of the tunnel, permitting the tunnel to be sunk evenly along` its length and the shafts to be maintained in an upright position. The partitions 19 prevent the water in the tunnel from flowing; all to one side of the tuunel and so turning` the tunnel on its axis and the bnllrheads 2O prevent the water in the tunnel from flowing all to one end of the tunnel and causing the tunnel suddenly to tilt on end.

In the case of short tunnels the valves at all of the shafts 22 are opened simultaneously and each valve adjusted as required from time to time so` that all parts of the tunnel are allowed to sink evenly at the same time. ln the ease of very longY tunnels which have a certain amount of flexibility the valves at or near one end of the tunnel may be opened first, allowing` that end of the tunnel to sink gradually and subsequently the remaining valves opened so that the tunnel sinks to its bed progressively from one end to the other. Tunnels built and sunk in this manner may be adapted to horizontal curves of lonp; radins and gradual changes in grade without impairment of strength.

Should it be desired to lift the tunnel or shaft after its first submeroence this may be done by pumping' down the water in ils shaft 22. liVheu the tunnel is in its proper position on the bed the entire tunnel may oe flooded to insure proper seating'. tiuitahle valves (not shown) may be provided for this purpose. The valves 36 are then permanently closed.y such of the shafts 22 as it not desired to retain as a permanent part of the tunnel are unbolted from the tunnel by divers and are removed together with the guys 2e, valve rods and handles, valves 27 and all openings through the tunnel wall suitably closed. rlfhe tunnel is unu'alereth bulkheads 18 removed and the tunnel haelt filled.

In Figi'. 1 I have shown a portion of the 'tunnel resting` on the bed of the waterway. rlhe end portions of the tunnel (not shown) may be joined to the tunnel proper by any suitable method. In cases where the end portions are vertical shafts extending` above the surface of the water, these portions may,

in certain cases, be joined to the tunnel proper after it has been sunk and in other cases the entire tunnel complete with the end portions joined may be built at the surface and sunk as a unit.

My improved method of controlling the sinking operation may also be employed in the laying of tunnels which are composed of sections which are successively sunk and joined to the portion of the tunnel previously laid. Fig. 6 shows portions of two adjoining tunnel sections and 5l. The section 50 having been sunk and moved into engagement with the previously laid section 5l. The casing 52 of each section is flared at one end as shown at 54 for a distance of from 25 to 50 feet and is adapted to receive the unflared end of an adjacent section. Bullrheads 55 are preferably employed to close the adjoining ends of the sections until the joint between the section is sealed. The longitudinal members 57 of the central and side girders are extended through the bulkhead so that the longitudinal member of one section will abut with the corresponding longitudinal member of the other section when the sections are in their final position. rlie cross members 58 of the girders however stop at the bulkheads.

lifter the section 5l has been laid the section 50 is lowered to a position slightly in front of and in approximate alignment with the section 5l. before the section 50 reaches the bottoni by closing` the valves 86. The section 5() is then moved toward the section 5l, the flared end tiet guides the section 5G to the position shown in Fig. and section 50 is then allowed to sinh to position on the bottom or to sills 39 if iesired. rFlic joint between the sections is then. sealed in any appropriate manner. rlhe bullzheads are removed, abutting members 5T are secured to one another by tie-plates, the girder construction completed and made continuous by adding cross inembers 58 at the joint and thev space between the linings of 'the sections filled in with concrete so as to nia-ke the lining of the tunnel continuous.

.l claim:

l. The method of sinking a tunnel having upwardly extending buoyant shafts at intervals along its length, in such a manner that the sinking of the tunnel or a part thereof may be regulated or arrested during all stages of the sinking operation, which method consists in gradually applying weights at inteivals along the length ot the tunnel and maintaining said weights in their positions relative to the tunnel, whereby an approximate balance is maintained,

The sinking is stopped justA during the sinking operation, between the increasing weight of the tunnel anc the increasing buoyancy due to the progressive immersion of the buoyant shafts.

2. The method of sinking asubaqueous tunnel which is provided with upwardly eX- tending buoyant shafts at intervals along the length of the tunnel which method comprises gradually admitting water to the interior of said shafts so as to maintain an approximate balance between the changing weight due to the admission of water and the changing buoyancy due to the progressive iinmersion of the buoyant shafts.

A tunnel structure formed to float and provided at spaced intervals along its length with removable buoyant shafts of light weight and valve connections for admitting unter to the interior of said shafts.

Ll. lli tunnel structure comprising bulkheads along its length for providing spaces at intervals along` its length, light buoyant shafts extending upwardly from the tunnel and respectively communieatingl at their ends with the spaces between the bulkheads, and valve connections for adn'iitting water to said space and to the interior of said `lialfts.

5. A tunnel structure comprising bulkheads along its length for providing spaces at intervals along its length, central vertical partitions in said spaces between said bulli-l heads and extending in the direction of the tunnel, buoyant shafts extending upwardly from the tunnel and respectively communicat-ing at their ends with the spaces between the bullnieads, and valve connections for admitting water to said spaces and to the interior of said shafts.

6. A tunnel structure comprising bulliheads along its length for providing spaces at intervals along its length, buoyant shafts extending upwardly from the tunnel and respectively communicating at their ends with the spaces between the bulkheads, and valve connections for admitting water to slaidf spaces and from said spaces to said sia ts.

7. A tunnel structure coniprising bull;- lieads alongits length 'tor proi'fiding spaces JAMES C. MlllM, 

